obtained any news of my daughter.

"'I have more than obtained news, Your Majesty. I have my daughter
back again, and I have come to demand justice at your hands.'

"'I congratulate you, indeed, Baron,' the king said, with an
appearance of warmth, but I saw his colour change, and was
convinced that he knew something, at least, of the matter.

"'And where has the damsel been hiding herself?' he went on.

"'She has not been hiding herself, at all, Sire,' I said. 'She has
been abducted, by one of Your Majesty's courtiers, with the
intention of forcing her into a marriage. His name, Sire, is the
Vicomte de Tulle, and I demand that justice shall be done me, and
that he shall receive the punishment due to so gross an outrage.'

"The king was silent for a minute, and then said:

"'He has, indeed, if you have been rightly informed, acted most
grossly. Still, it is evident that he repented the step that he
took, and so suffered her to return to you.'

"'Not so, Your Majesty,' I said. 'I owe her return to no
repentance on his part, but to the gallantry of a young officer
who, passing the house where she was confined, heard her cries for
aid, and, with his soldier servant, climbed the gate of the
enclosure, and was there attacked by the man who had charge of
her, with four others. The young gentleman and his servant killed
four of them, and bound the other; and then, entering the house,